Shoe-sewing machine.



PATENTED JAN. 13, 1903. A. B.- FOWLER.

SHOE SEWING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED un. 1s, 1896.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

l l f\ l 'l L Lfelllmrf Q54@ Zfgwaw JEU-BEBES E m Qm- WWMMJ A @W4/,m

TH: ohms PETERS co. PHDTQLWHD., WASHINGTON, u. c

PATENTED JAN. 13, 1903.

y A. A3B. POWLER.- SHOE SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 18, 1896.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H0 MODEL.

PATBNTED JAN. 1s, 190s. A. B. POWLER.

SHOE SEWING MACHINE.

` APPLICATION FILED APB.. 18, 1896.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

H0 MODEL.

'ms Nonms PETERS ou.. Pnmuumo.. wnsxmsomn. c.

`PATENTED JAN. 13, 1903.

Nol 718,199.

A. E. EOWLEE. sE'oE SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APB. 13, 1896.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

N0 MODEL.

No. 718,199. P'ATENTED JAN. 13, 1903.

A'. B, IPOWLER. f SHOE SEWING' MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APE. 18, 1896. v H0' MODEL. 7 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

4PATEN'IED JAN. 13, 1903.

A. B. FOWLER. SHOE SEWING MACHINE.' APPLICATION FILED APR. 1s, 1896.

7 SHEETS-SHEET e.

M113? s E E 5 A w@ @mkg/1MM No. 718,199. PATEN'TED JAN. 13, 1 903."

` A. B. FOWLER.

` SHOE SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION-FILED APR. 18, 1896.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

N0 MODEL.

-NEM

Wijl s se E f; 6MM

-NTTEE STATES PATENT OEEICE.

ALFRED B. FOWLER, OF CENTRAL FALLS, RHODE ISLAND.

SHOE-SEWING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 718,199, dated January13, 1903. Application iiled Alpi-il 18, 1896. Serial No. 588,086. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED B. FowLER, of Central Falls, in the county ofProvidence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Sewing-Machines, of which the following, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

The present invention relates to an-improvementin shoe-sewingmachines,and more particularly to shoe-sewing machines of the wax-threadchain-stitch type.

One of the objects of my invention is to reorganize and improve theconstruction and operation of sewing-machines of this class by providinga tension-wheel and mechanism for intermittently and positivelyactuating it to pay off thread to the needle during its retractin gstroke, operating to discontinue suchl paying-off action duringthelatter portion of the retracting stroke of the needle, said tensiondevice having frictional 'means operating on the tension -wheel .tocontrol its rotation underthe strain of the thread eX- erted thereon bythe needle during the latter portion of the retracting stroke thereof,thus dispensing with a pull-oifand its operating mechanism and relievingthe needle of the duty of pulling off thread.

Another object of my invention is toreorganize the arrangement andoperation of the channel-guide, needle,^and feed point, so as to reducethe space within which they work, and thereby to facilitate sewingaroundsharp curves,as around the toes of pointed-toe shoes. To this end I havecaused the channel-guide to reciprocate across the plane of movement ofthe needle and have arranged the feedpoint on the advance side of thechannelguide-that is, on the side opposite the needle before feed takesplace.

Heretofore, so far as I am aware, it has been generally the practice inchain-stitch shoesewing machines to hold the needle stationary in itsretracted position, holding in its hook during the feed of the `work theloop of thread which it has just drawn through the material. Such modeof operation, however, is objectionable, because by reason of the feedof the material the distance from the needle to the needle-hole fromwhich the loop extends is increased by the angular lead of the threadafter such feeding movement, and as a consequence the feed of thematerial is liable to cause an undue strain to be exerted upon the saidloop, which has to be borne by the needle-thread and material and isliable to injure the needle or break the thread or cut or strain thebetween substance of the sole, or upon the disengagement of thefeed-point with the material to pull the material backward slightly,thus causing irregularity in the length of the stitches of the seambeing sewed.

Another object of my invention is to improve the construction andoperation of sewingmachines of this'class so as to avoid bringing anundue strain on the loop of thread held in the hook of the needle duringthe feed of the material by causing the needle to move forward slightlyduring the feeding of the work.

To the above Aends the present invention consists i-n Vthe devices andcombinations lof devices hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the preferred form of myinvention, Figure l represents a plan view'of the head of thesewing-machine. Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of the same as seenfrom the right side of the machine showing a small portion of the upperend of the standard to which the head is attached. Fig. 3 represents aside elevation of the opposite side of the head of the machine from thatshown in-Fig. 2, showing the driving-shaft in section and thedrivingpulley removed. Fig. 4 represents a horizontal section on theline A B shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 represents a detail sectional View ofthe means employed to cause'thev auxiliary back gage to be pressedforward with a yielding pressure. Fig. 6 represents a detail sectionalview of the means employed to adjust the position of the channel-guidein and out of the channel in the stock being sewed. Fig. 7 represents adetail View showing the course of the thread through the tension deviceand from the tension device to the stock, also the mechanism employed tocause the mechanical feeding of the thread from the tension device forthe. formation of the stitch. Fig. 8 represents a longitudinal sectionof the shaft on which the tension-Wheelis mounted on the line C D inFig.'7. Fig. 9 represents a detail view of the needle, the looper, thefeed-point, the channel-guide, and adjacent parts of the head of themachine, showing such parts in positions occupied when the needle haspenetrated the stock, the looper has looped the thread upon the needle,and the feed-point and channel-guide are in position to feed the stockas soon as the needle has drawn the loop through the stock. Fig. 10represents a detail View of the same parts as shown in Fig. 9, butshowing such parts in positions occupied by them after the needle hasdrawn the loop through the stock and the stock has been fed by thefeed-point. Fig. 11 represents a section on the line E F shown in Fig.9. Fig. 12 represents a section on the line G H shown in Fig. 9. Fig. 13represents a detail view of a modified form of the mechanism employed tocause the mechanical feeding of the thread from the tension device forthe formation of the stitch. Fig. 14 represents a section on the line IJ shown in Fig. 13. Fig. 15 represents a cross-section on the line K Lshown in Fig. 14. Fig. 16 represents a side elevation of theVtension-shaft, showing a slight variation in the device used tomechanically operate the tension-wheel to deliver thread to the needlefor the formation of the stitch.

rlhe head of the machine is mounted upon a suitable standard l, saidhead being provided With a suitable frame 2 for the support of thevarious devices constituting the head. Within bearings in the frame 2 isjournaled the driving-shaft 3, upon which are iirmly mounted thedriving-pulley or balance-Wheel 4 and the cams 5 and 6, which shaft isrotated in the direction of the arrows shown on the drawings by means ofa suitable belt on the pulley 4, as is usual with machines of thisclass.

The curved-hook needle 9, provided with the usual needle-guide 10, isattached in the usual manner to the needle-block 8, which is pivotedupon the bracket 7, rmly attached to the frame 2 of the machine, saidbracket being provided with guides for the needleblock. A lever 11 isfulcrumed to the frame 2 and is connected at its lower end to theneedle-block by means of the connecting-rod 12. The 1ever11 is providedwith a pin and roll 13, which is guided in cam-groove 14 (shown indotted lines in Fig. 3) in the cam 5, which camgroove causes theneedle-block and attached needle to intermittently oscillate and theneedle to pierce and withdraw from the stock.

The oscillatingr looper 15 is mounted in such a position within abearing in the forward part of the bracket 7 that its lower end willoscillate around the projecting point of the needle when the needle isforced through the stock and by so doing will loop the thread into thehook of the needle. A lever 16 is fulcrumed at its lower end to theframe 2 and at its upper end is connected by means of the connecting-rod17 toasliding toothed rack 18, which slides forward and backward withinguides in the bracket 7 and meshes into a toothed pinion 19 on the upperend of the looper. The lever 16 is provided with a pin and roll 20,which is guided within a cam-groove 21 (shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2)in the cam 6, which cam-groove causes an intermitting reciprocation ofthe rack 18 and oscillation of the looper.

The tension-shaft 23 is mounted within bearings in a bracket 22,attached to the back of the frame 2, and has a longitudinal` movementinsaid bearings,butis prevented from ro` tating therein by means of thekey and keyway 24. Upon one end of the shaft 23 is screwed or otherwisefirmly attached the flange 25, and upon the shaft between said Iiangeand a second fiange 26, attached to or made in one piece with thebracket 22, are loosely mounted the tension-wheel, (preferably made intwo parts 27 27 and held together by means of the screws 28 28,) theratchet-wheel 29, (attached to the tension-wheel by means of the screws30 30 or made integral therewith,) and the friction-producing washers 3131, (made of felt or other suitable material,) and introducedrespectively between the tension- Wheel and its adjacent iiange andbetween the ratchet-wheel and its adjacent flange. The opposite end ofthe shaft 23 is screwthreaded and provided with the thumb-nut 32, andupon said shaft between said nut and the bracket 22 is placed the spring33, which tends to move said shaft longitudinally Within its bearingsand produces tension of the thread carried over the tension-wheel. Itwill be seen that the amount of tension on the thread exerted by thisfrictional means can be adjusted by the adjustment of the nut 32 uponthe shaft 23, as is common with tension devices nowin use. Means areprovided to release the frictional means when it is desired to take offthe tension to enter or remove a shoe. The illustrated embodiment ofsuch means is described as follows: The shaft 23 is provided with anextension 34, which is screwed into the screw threaded hub of the flange25 or otherwise firmly attached thereto. This extension is screwthreadedon its outer end and provided with a nut and check-nut 35, adjustablethereon. A bracket 36 is attached to the upper end of the standard 1 orto some other stationary part of the machine, and to the outer end ofthis bracket is fulcrumed at 37 the lever 38, which is forked at one endand embraces the extension 34. A washer 39 is placed upon the extension34 between the forked end of the lever 38 and the nut and check-nut 35.It will be seen that the lever 38 may be turned upon its fulcrum in sucha manner that its forked end will press against the Washer 39, andthereby cause the shaft 23 to move longitudinally in its bearings,releasing the friction from the tensionwheel,and consequently thetension from the thread. This tensionreleasing lever may be operatedeither by hand or automatically by the treadle which IOO IOS

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starts and stops the machine or by an independent treadle. In order tooperate said lever by hand, I provide its forward end with a suitablehandle 40, as shown in Fig. 3. If the tension-release lever is to beoperated by means of a treadle, I provide the standard of the machinewith an intermediatelever 41. The upper end only of this intermediatelever has been shown on the drawings in Fig. 3, as the particularconnection between the lever and the treadle or manner of operating saidlever forms no part of this invention and may be accomplished in anywell-known manner. The upper end of the intermediate lever rests againstthe side of the tension-release lever and operates the release-lever torelease the tension on the thread by pressing the release-lever towardthe standard of the machine.

The preferred means for positively rotating the tension-wheel to pay offthread,which are intermittently connected therewith and disconnectedtherefrom, and the mode of operation of such means are described asfollows: Upon the shaft 23 is loosely mounted the sector-gear 42, whichis provided with the arm 43, and to said arm at 44 is pivoted the pawl45 in such a position that its attached tooth 46 is normally held inengagement with a tooth of the ratchet-wheel 29, or said tooth may, ifso desired, be held in contact with the ratchet-wheel by means of ayielding spring-pressure, as shown in Fig. 16. Abellcrank lever 47 isfulcru med at 4S to the frame 2 and is provided at one end with the pinand roll 49, guided within a cam-groove 50 in the cam 6. The oppositeend of the lever 47 is provided with a slot 5l, within which the fulcrum52 for the rack 53 is adjustably but iirmly held. A guide 54 for therack 53 is loosely mounted upon the hub of the sectorgear 42 or upon theshaft 23 and tends to keep the teeth of the rack 53 in mesh with theteeth of the sector-gear 42. The cam-groove 50 is of such a shape thatit causes the lever` 47 to intermittently oscillate upon its fulcrum,which in turn causes the intermittent reciprocat-ion of the rack 53 andconsequentoscillation of the pawl45. This oscillation of the pawl causesa positive intermittent rotation of the tension-wheel 27 and aconsequent paying off of thread from said tension-wheel. The amount ofrotation imparted to the tension-wheel by the vaction of the cam-groove50 and intermediate mechanism is such that the thread delivered therebyat each movement of the wheel is a little less than the amount Ot'thread necessary to form a single stitch, and such amount is adjusted bymeans of the adjustment of the fulcrum 52 within the slot 5l in thelever 47, as will be understood. The action of the cam-groove 50 is sotimed with relation to the movements of the needle that the thread paidoff thereby will be delivered in sufficient quantities as the looperloops the thread into the hook of the needle and as the needle draws theloop through the stock and before it has completed such operation, sothat before the retracting stroke of the needle is completed thetension-wheel ceases to be rotated by the pawl and its actuatingmechanism and so that during the completion of the retracting stroke ofthe needle the tension-wheel is controlled by the frictional means,which permit its rotation when sufficient strain is brought upon thethread by the needle. In the machine of the drawings this Iinal pull ofthe needle exerts a stitch-setting strain on the thread, which isresisted by the friction on the tension-wheel. y

It is to be observed that when the forward motion of the pawl 45 ceasesthe tensionin Fig. 16) and offering no resistance to for- V wardrotation of the tension-wheel. invention contemplates a positiverotation of the tension-wheel to pay off thread to theA needle duringthe earlier portion of its retracting stroke, interrupted in its actionprior to the completion of such retracting stroke, andfrictionally-resisted rotation of the tensionwneel under strain of thethread exerted thereon by the needle during the latter portion of theretracting stroke of the needle, and any mechanism constructed,organized, and operating in this manner is within the scope of myinvention. I have hereinafter described a modified form-of thismechanism.

If desired, the pawl may be provided with a thread-truck 55, ,over whichthe thread is conveyed in such manner as to cause the tooth 46of thepawl 45 to'be pressed into engagement with the ratchetwheel 29 when thethread is drawn tight, and such construction has the function of causingthe truck 55 to act as a take-up when the pawl is moved backward vby itscam and connections. I prefer to dispense with this thread-truck 55,howroo IIO

ever, as it acts to increase the frictional re- 55 could be used if thetake-up action was' desired or dispensed with if such action was notdesired. Suchdisconnecting mechanism in the illustrated embodiment of myinvention is described as follows: The pawl 45 is provided with the pinand roll 56, and a lever 57 is fulcrumed at 58 to the frame 2, whichlever is provided at one end with a piu and roll 59, guided within acam-groove 60 in the cam 5, and at the other end said lever is providedwith the circular surface 6l, which engages the pin and roll 56 whensaid lever is turned upon its fulcrum by the action of said cam-groove.The engagement of the pin and roll 56 by the circular surface of the1ever 57 causes the tooth of the pawl to disengage the teeth of theratchet-wheel and holds such parts out of engagement, while thesector-gear causes the pawl to move backward into posit-ion to againrotate the tensionwheel, the pin and roll on the pawl moving during thistime on the circular surface on the lever 57. To prevent the pawl 45from being rotated too far on its fulcrum 44, and thus withdrawing thetooth of the pawl too far from the teeth of the ratchet-wheel either bycentrifugal action caused by the rapid action of the machine or when thepawl is raised by the action of the lever 57, I provide the tail of thepawl with a set-screw which is adjustably mounted therein and whichcomes in contact with the projection 62 on the arm 43 of the sector-gearand limits the movements of said pawl, as will be readily understood.

The lead of the thread from the tensionwheel to the looper is over thetruck 55 on the pawl 45, (provided, however, that such threadtruck isused,) over the threadtruck 63, mounted, preferably, upon the top of thebracket 7, and under the thread-truck 64,

mounted upon the end of a lever 65, which lever is pivotally mountedupon the stud for the truck 63 and is acted upon by means of a suitablespring 66, attached to said lever and to some stationary part of themachine, said lever being pressed forward and acting to draw said threadfrom the course it would naturally take between the truck 63 and thethread truck 67, over which it is carried from the truck 64, and finallythrough the hollow looper-shaft and perforation in the looper. Theaction of the spring-actuated lever 65 upon the thread is to draw thethread out of a straight line iu the course between the trucks 63 and67, thereby controlling any slack thread between the tension-wheel andthe needle, and also to hold the thread in such a position until thestrain on the thread is sufiicient to overcome the power of the spring66, in which case the lever will yield against the action of the spring,and thereby cushion any sudden increase in the strain on the thread,which would otherwise tend to break the same. To add to the strength ofthe spring which cushions the lever 65, I provide the frame of themachine with a springpressed bumper 68, against which the end of thelever comes when sufficient strain is brought to bear upon the thread toovercome the strength of the spring 66. This springpressed bumper actsas a cushion to the lever 65, and by its action any strain on the threadwhich is sufficient to overcome the Strength of the spring 66 iscushioned.

While any suitable back gage and auxiliary back-gage mechanism may beemployed in connection with my invention, I have shown the form of suchmechanism which I prefer to employ and which is described as follows:The back gage 69 is pivoted at 70 to the back-gage slide 7l, and itsforward end is adjusted up and down to its proper position relative tothe stock and needle, the gage being held in its adjusted position bymeans of the set-screw 72, screwed into the back gage through a slot inthe slide 7l. The slide 7l is guided and movable forward and backwardwithin guides in the frame 2 and is provided with a stud 73, whichprojects through a slot in the frame into a tubular recess 74, extendinginward from the rear of the frame. The tubular recess 74 isscrew-threaded in its outerend and provided with a perforated plug 75,screwed and adjustable therein. A rod is attached to the stud 73 andprojects backward therefrom, being guided loosely within the perforationin the plug 75. A spring 77 surrounds the rod 76 between the stud 73 andthe plug 75, the action of said spring being to force the back gageforward with a yielding pressure against the stock. The end of the rod76 which projects beyond the plug is screw-threaded and provided withthe nut 78, adjustable on said rod. It will thus be seen that theforward movement of the back gage caused by the spring 77 is limited andadjusted by means of this nut upon the rod 76. The lever 79 is fulcrumedat 80 to the frame 2 and is provided with the pin and roll 8l, which isguided within a cam-groove 82 on the cam 5, as shown in Fig. 3. Upon theback-gage slide 7l is adjustably but firmly secured the bracket 83, andthe spring 84 is preferably interposed between the lower end of thelever 79 and said bracket, which spring is held in place by means of thestud 85, secured to said bracket. The lower end of the lever 79 isforked to receive the stud 85, when said lever is operated to withdrawthe back gage, as will be described hereinafter.

From the above description of the back gage and its connected mechanismit will be seen that by the action of the cam-groove 82 upon the lever79 the lower end of said lever is caused to oscillate toward and fromthe bracket 83 and that when said leveris moved toward said bracket thespring 84 will be compressed until the pressure caused thereby exceedsthe strength of the spring 77. This will cause the compression ofthelatter spring and the backward movement of the slide 7l, with itsattached back gage, thus causing the withdrawal of the back gage fromcontact with the stock being sewed. The interposition of the spring 84between the backgage-operating lever and the bracket on the back-gageslide forms a yielding cushion between said parts, and yet allows theback gage to be forced backward against the in- IOO fluence of thespring 77 by the stock independently of the operating-lever `79, thusforming a yielding back gage.

The auxiliary back gage 86 is preferably made in the form of a rollpivotally mounted upon the outer end of the slide 87 and is guided andmovably mounted within guides in the frame 2 ina similar manner to thebackgage slide. The slide 87 is provided with gear-teeth 88, which meshinto the teeth of a sector-gear 89, pivotally mounted upon the stud 90on the bed of the frame 2. A clockspring 91 is attached at one end tothe sectorgear 89 and at the other end to the stud 90, the tendency ofsaid spring being to force the auxiliary back gage forward with ayielding pressure and the character of the spring tending to make suchpressure approximately the same for all positions of the auxiliary backgage. By the use of the clock-spring and the consequent slight variationin the strain upon the same the auxiliary back gage is more sensitiveand the spring is less liable to'crystallize and break. The backgageslide 7l and the auxiliary-back-gage slide 87 are held within theirrespective guides in the frame 2 by means of the caps 92 and 93,substantially as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. NVithin bearings in the cap 93are mounted and longitudinally movable the locking-bolts 94 94, one foreach of the slides 71 and 87, which bolts are each provided withserrations or teeth adapted to engage the teeth of the racks 95 95, oneof said racks being attached to each of the slides 7l and 87, as shown.The bolts 94 are normally held in engagement with racks 95 by means ofthe springs 96, surrounding said bolts Within the bearings for the same.A lever 97 is fulcrumed at 9S to the frame 2 and is provided on itsupper end with the pin and roll 99, which is guided within a cam-groove100 on the hub 0f the cam 5. The lower end of said lever is providedwith two perforations, through which the outer ends of locking-bolts 94project and within which they are loosely movable. The ends of the bolts94 are screwthreaded and are each provided with the nut and check-nut101. Thus it will be seen that the action of the cam-groove upon thelever 97 will cause the lower end of said lever first to withdraw thelocking-bolts 94 from engagement with their respective racks 95 andpermit the springs acting on the back gage and auxiliary-back-gageslides to force said slides forward with a yielding pressure or saidlever will be moved in the opposite direction and then by withdrawingfrom contact with the nuts 101 on said bolts Will permit the springs 96to force said bolts into engagement with the racks 95, and thereby lockthe slides 71 and S7 firmly in the position they then occupy. The backgage and auxiliary back gage are locked by the springbolts 94 during thetime that the needle is withdrawingfrom the stock with the loop ofthread in its hook and are so locked to provide a rigid support for thestock during this Yrearrangement of the organization and operation ofthe channel-guide, needle, and feed-point, which consists, broadlystated, in giving'the channel-guide a reciprocating motion across theplane of movements of the needle and in arranging the feed-point in ad-Vance of the channel-guide-that is to say, onA the opposite side of thechannel-guide from the needle before the feed takes place. I-Ieretofore,so far as` I am aware, it has never been proposed to have thechannel-guide move across the plane of movements of the needle. As aresult of this mode of operation the channel-guide moves only from oneside of the needle to the other, in all a distance equal to the lengthof one stitch, with the consequent apparent advantages in sewing aroundcurves of short radius.

W'ithin guides on the front of the frame 2 is mounted ther`laterally-movable slide 102, which is reciprocated laterally Withinits guides by the action of the cam-groove 103 in the cam 6 upon the pinor roll 104 on the lever 105, fulcrumed at 106 lto the frame 2, whichlever is connected to the slide by means of the connecting rod or link107, said connecting-rod being ad justably connected to the lever withina slot in said lever, so that the amount of reciprocation imparted tothe slide 102 can be varied. To an ear 108 on the slide 102 is pivotallymounted the feed-point-operating lever 109, which is forked and receivesthe pin block or roll 110 on one arm of the bell-crank lever 111,fulcrumed at 112 to the frame 2, the other arm of the lever 111 beingprovided with the pin and roll 113, guided within a cam-groove 114 inthe cam 6. The action of the cam-groove 114 upon the pin and roll 113 issuch that it causes the lower end of the lever 109 through its connectedmechanism, as described, to move forward and backward. I/Vithin aperforation in the lower end of the lever 109 is mounted the stud 115,which may be rotated or moved longitudinally within said perforation andwhich is iirmly held after being properly adjusted, as hereinafter setforth, by means of the set-screw 116. Within a perforation in the headof the stud 115 is mounted the feedpoint 117 in such amanner that it canbe r0- IOO IIO

tated 0ry moved longitudinally within said am enabled to adjust theposition of the lower end of the feed-point longitudinally toward orfrom the plane of the movements of the needle and backward or forward inor out of the channel in the stock. The combined actions of thecam-grooves 103 and 114 upon the feed-point are such that the feed-pointwill have four motions, and thereby cause the intermittent feeding ofthe stock between each stitch formed, and the adjustment of the amountof reciprocation given to the slide 102 will vary the length of the feedor the stitch. To the second ear 119 on the slide 102 is pivotallymounted the lever 120, and to the lower end of said lever thechannel-guide 121 is attached, by means of the screws 1 22 122, in sucha manner that it is adjustable up and down upon said lever in order tobring the channel into which said guide projects in proper position, sothat the needle will enter said channel after it has pierced the stock,and therefore lay the stitch properly within the channel4 The upper endof the lever 120 is provided with the roll 123, which is held in contactwith the head of the flat-headed screw or bolt 124, screwed into the endof and forming an extension to the stud 125, which is mounted andlongitudinally movable within a bearing in the frame 2 or a bracketattached to said frame, as shown in Fig. 6. The stud 125 is providedwith a roll 126, which travels upon the camsurface 127 on the cam 6. Thespring 123, attached to the lever 120 and to the frame 2, tends to holdsaid lever against the bolt 124 and the stud 125 against the cam-surface127. rlhe head of the bolt 124 is of sufficient size to allow the roll123 to move thereon when the lever 120 is moved laterally with the slide102, to which it is attached and with which it is moved when the stockis fed.

The action of the cam-surface 127 and the spring 128 upon the lever 120is such as to cause said lever to be rocked slightly upon its fulcrumand the lower end of the attached channel-guide to be moved into and outof the channel in the stock. These movements of the channel-guide inconnection with the lateral movements imparted to said guide by themovements of the slide 102 cause the channel-guide to have fourmovements similar to those given to the feed-point and of which thelongitudinal movements are substantially in unison with the longitudinalmovements of the feed-point.

By reference to Figs. 9 and 10 of the drawings it will be seen that thefeed-point is located in advance of the channel-guide-that is to say, onthe side of the channel-guide opposite the needle before the feed takesplace. It will also be seen that the feed-point moves from a position atthe right of the needle to a position in front of or into the plane ofmovements of the needle when the work is fed. It will further be seenthat the channelguide is so located with relation to the feedpoint thatit must move longitudinally a distance substantially equal to and inunison with the feed-point and across or through the plane of movementsof the needle. As above suggested, this arrangement of the channelguideand feed-point materially reduces the space between the channel-guide,needle, and feed-point, so that the work may be easily fed around acurve of small radius-as, for instance, around the toe of a boot orshoe. By feeding the stock with the feed-point such as hereiubeforedescribed, which moves from a position on one side into the plane ofmovements of and in line with the needle, it is to be observed that theneedle will enter the indentations made in the stock by the feedpoint,that said feed-point performs in a measure the functions of an awl andlessens the strain on the needle and its operating mechanism whenforcing the needle through the materials, and that the constructionconduces to an easy turning of the Work with relation to thestitch-forming intrumentalities in sewing around curves.

The modified form, hereinbefore referred to, of the means for positivelyrotating the tension-wheel intermittently connected therewith anddisconnected therefrom and its mode of operation is illustrated in Figs.13, 14, and 15 and described as follows: The tensionshaft, which has itsbearing in the bracket 22, is made in two sections 129 and 130, thesection 129 being splined within its bearing in the bracket and alloweda longitudinal movement only. A ange 131 is firmly mounted on one end ofthe section 129, and a spring 132 surrounds said section between ashoulder thereon and a screw-threaded sleeve 133, screwed into thescrew-threaded portion of the bearing for said section, the tendency ofsaid spring being to move said section of the tension-shaftlongitudinallyin its bearings. The section 130 of the tensionshaft isfree to rotate or to move longitudinally in its bearing in the bracket22, and upon one end of said section is firmly mounted the tension-wheel134. Upon the section 130 between the tension-wheel and a ange 135,attached to or made in one piece with the bracket 22, is mounted one ormore felt or other friction-producing washers 136. A spring 137,surrounding the section 130, tends to move said section longitudinallyin its bearing, and thereby produce friction between the tension-wheeland the flange 135 or the washers introduced between said parts. Betweenthe flange 131 and the tension-wheel 134 is introduced the felt or otherfrictionproducing washer or washers 138, and it will be seen that thecombined actions of the springs 132 and 137 produce tension on thetension-wheel134, which tension is adjusted as desired by means of thesleeve 133 and the nut and check-nut 139, as will be readily understood.Upon the section 130 of the tension-shaft is firmly mounted the sleeve140, which is provided with a iiange having the flattened sides 141 141,as shown in Fig. 15.

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Upon said section and said sleeve is loosely mounted a second sleeve142, having a circular recess to receive the flange on the sleeve 140.The circular wall of the recess in the sleeve 142, in combination withthe flattened sides of the ange on the sleeve 140, forms taperingchambers within which are placed the rolls 143, said rolls being of suchsize that they rest against the wall of the circular recess andr againstthe flattened sides of the sleeve 140. Springs 144 tend to prevent saidrolls from moving into one of the tapering ends of the chambers formedin the recess. It will be seen that the two sleeves, the rolls, and thesprings form a clutch which will allow the sleeve 142 to be rotatedfreely in the direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow in Fig.15; but when the sleeve 142 is rotated in the direction indicated by thearrowin said figure the rolls will move into the other tapering part ofthe chambers formed within the recess, and thereby lock the two sleevesfirmly together. Any further rotation of the sleeve 142 will cause arotation of the section 130 of the tension-shaft, and consequently arotation of the tension-Wheel attached to said section. In thisconstruction of the tension-operating mechanism the connecting-rod 145is adjustably but pivotally attached to the lever 47 within the slottherein, the opposite end of said connecting-rod being pivotallyattached to the sleeve 142 at 146, as shown. It will be seen that theaction of the cam-groove 50 upon the lever 47 will cause theintermittentoscillation of the sleeve 142 and by means of the clutchingdevice will cause the intermittent and positive operation of thetension-wheel in a manner similar to the mechanism hereinbeforedescribed. This alternate construction of the tension-wheel and itsoperating mechanism forms another and a different embodiment of the samefrom that described; butitalso embodies myinvention and is within thepurview of the claims.

With the various parts of the machine in the positions shown in thedrawings the operation of the machine is as follows: The looper isrotated sufficiently to place the thread within the hook of the needle.The needle then withdraws through the stock, carrying with it the threadwhich was placed there by the looper. During the looping of the threadand withdrawal of the needle the thread is positively delivered to theneedle by the action of the tension-wheel and its actuating mechanism,hereinbefore described, and the entire amount of thread so delivered hasbeen delivered before the needle reaches its eXtreme backward position.As soon as the desired amount of thread has been delivered the lever 57is operated and withdraws the pawl 45 from engagement with theratchet-wheel, by which means the tensionwheel is left under the controlof its frictional means and the stitch is set by the backward movementof the needle, which causes the tension-wheel to rotate under the strainof the thread exerted by the needle. Then the needle reaches its extremebackward position, the back gage is unlocked and slightly withdrawn fromcontact with the stock. The feed-point, which has previously been movedlongitudinally through the channel and backward into the stock, and thechannel-guide, which rests within the channel in the stock, then movelongitudinally' and feed the stock the desired distance between thestitches. As soon as the stock has been fed the backgage moves forwardand presses against the stock and is locked in such a position. Duringthis lateral movement of the feed-point and channel-guide to feed thestock the needle moves slightly forward, thus slackening the loop ofthread held in the hook of the needle, to compensate for the angularlead of the thread caused by the feeding of the work, thus preventinginjury to the needle, breaking of the thread, or cutting or strainingthe between substance of the sole, or upon the disengagement of thefeed-point with the material the pulling of the material backward aportion of the distance which it had previously been fed during the feedmovement of the feed-point.' The needle now continues its forwardmovement,- enters the stock, and as it does so the feed-point withdraws.The needle continues its forward movement as the feed-point withdrawsuntil the point of the needle is through the stock, when it holds the`stock steady. The channel-guide withdraws from the stock, and thechannelguide and feed-point move longitudinally a distance equal to theamount of the feeding of the stock, then move into the channel, and areready to feed the stock for the next stitch. The needle then movesforward the remainder of its forward movement and to the position shownin the drawings. During the feeding of the stock by the channel-guideand feed-point the return of the channelguide and feed-point to positionfor the next stitch and the latter part of the forward movement of theneedle the looper returns to the position shown on the drawings.

I am aware that it has been proposed in the prior art, as shown in thepatent to Coupal, No. 385,299, illustrating a machine for drawing loopsof thread through the upper and sole of turn-shoes and interlocking saidloops with tongues of leather cut from the sole, to provide atensionwheel and means in constant frictional engagement therewith forrotating the same to pay off thread to the nee-v dle. Such machines,however, are in no proper sense sewing-machines, since they do not formwhat can be properly called a stitch, and I am the first to provideasewing-machine with a tension of the nature hereinbefore described tocoperate with stitch-forming devices in the formation of a stitchproperly so called, and the constructions herein illustrated areparticularly adapted for such purpose in that the tensionwheel ispositively and intermittently connect- IOO ed with its actuatingmechanism as distinguished from being frictionally and continuouslyconnected therewith. I am also aware that it has been proposed-forexample, as in thepatenttoPrenzel,No.589,949-tolocate the feed-point inadvance of the channel-guidethat is to say, on the side of thechannel-guide opposite the needle before the feed .takes place; but suchchannel-guide does not reciprocate across the plane of movements of theneedle nor does the feed-point move into the plane of the needle, as aresult of which the construction is incapable of securing the ease ofturning the shoe while sewing around the toe and other advantagesappartenant to my construction, which are apparent to those skilled inthe art.

Having thus fully described the nature, construction, and operation ofmy invention,l wish to secure by Letters Patent and claiml. A chainstitch shoe sewing machine, having, in combination, a hook-needle and alooper and means for actuating them, a tension-Wheel, mechanismintermittently connected therewith and disconnected therefrom forpositively rotating the said wheel to pay off thread, and frictionalmeans controlling the rotation of said wheel when disconnected from saidmechanism and during the latter part of the retracting stroke of theneedle to permit its rotation when sufficient strain is brought upon thethread by the needle, substantiallyas described.

2. A chain stitch shoe sewing machine, having, in combination, ahook-needle and a looper and means for actuating them, a tension-wheel,mechanism positively connected therewith for rotating said Wheel to payoff thread, means for disconnecting said Wheel from said mechanismbefore the needle has completed itsretractingstroke, and frictionalmeans controlling the rotation of said wheel when disconnected from saidmechanism to permit its rotation when sufficient strain is brought uponthe thread by the needle, substantially as described.

3. Ashoe-sewingmachine, having, in combination, a tension, a looper, afeed-point, a hook-needle having a slight forward movement during thefeed movement of the feedpoint to prevent undue strain on the loop ofthread held in the hook of the needle, and means foractuating thelooper,A feed-point and needle, substantially as described.

4. A shoe-sewing machine, having, in combination, a hook-needle, alooper, a tension, a channelguide movable across the plane of movementsof the needle, a feed-point located adjacent to the channel-guide and inadvance of the same, and movable into the plane of motion of the needle,and means for actuating the needle, looper, channel-guide and.feed-point, substantially as described.

5. A shoe sewing machine, having, in combination, a hook-needle, alooper, a tension, a four-rnotion channel-guide movable toward and fromthe work and across the plane of movements of the needle, an independentfour-motion feed-point located adjacent to the chan nel-guide and inadvance of the same, the channel-guide and feed-point being movable inunison in the line of feed, and means for actuating the needle andlooper, channelguide and feed-point, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof l have signed my name to this specification in therpresence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALFRED B. FOWLER. `Nitnesses:

HENRY CHADBOURN, VICTOR SANDAHL.

